Akeredolu’s Widow Tackles Aiyedatiwa, Monarch Over Demolished Owo Memorial Park

Betty Akeredolu, widow of the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has condemned the demolition of the Owo Memorial Park.
Mrs Akeredolu described the demolition as an attempt to erase her husband’s legacy.
The park, built in honour of victims of the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, where over 40 people died, was pulled down last Saturday.
The structure was located opposite the Olowo of Owo’s palace.
In an emotional video posted on her X page on Wednesday, she visited her husband’s tomb in Owo and expressed deep disappointment over the development.
She said, “Darling, I’ve always known you to love your people. See what they’ve done to you.
“They didn’t blink an eye in rubbishing your memory and legacy. Spearheaded by the Olowo of Owo, whom you single-handedly installed, and ‘Lucky’, the enabler, ordered the demolition of a monument built to remember those massacred.
“Nobody was buried there — it was symbolic. They travel abroad and see how memorials are treated with respect. Why do we do things differently? To score political points?
“The Oba that doesn’t want the so-called cemetery — but it’s not a cemetery — sleeps with the dead. All the Olowos were buried where he lived. Look at the hypocrisy!
“So long as I live, they will not succeed. They will not rubbish you. Aketi lives on.”
In response to public backlash, the Olowo-in-Council issued a statement taking responsibility for the demolition.
The council said the action was requested by the Olowo and backed by the people of Owo.
The statement read, “In view of the public reactions generated by the demolition of the memorial park supposedly built in honour of the June 5th, 2022 murderous attack victims at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the palace wishes to say unequivocally that the request for this action was at the instance of His Imperial Majesty, Olowo of Owo and the entire good people of the kingdom.
“It must be made clear that the decision to site the structure in that particular location was resisted by the Olowo-in-Council and frowned upon by the people of the community when it was being conceived by the government of the late Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
“All advice to the late governor that celebrating the dead in any guise around the palace is not in conformity with the age-long culture and traditions of Owo was defiantly dismissed. Even at a time a protest was made by concerned Owo youths and stakeholders to that effect which the then governor disregarded.
“The above position of the palace is vindicated by the enthusiasm shown by Owo people and the deluge of commendation across sundry media platforms in support of the demolition.”
The statement added that the Olowo-in-Council would soon come out to avail the public with the comprehensive details of all that happened before and during the construction of the structure which led to the current development.
“Before then, we advise anyone with any issue whatsoever against the demolition to make the palace their target and not the listening Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who is not in any way responsible for the demolition,” the council clarified.